"The Journey of Water": NERI&HU

At the hands of Neri&Hu, an iconic label is transformed, a new dimension is added to the century-old story of a brand, that of S.Pellegrino.

Lyndon Neri and Rossana Hu are the Founding Partners of Neri&Hu Design and Research Office, an inter-disciplinary architectural design practice based in Shanghai and London. They were named EDIDA Designers of the Year 2017, Interior Designers of the Year of Iconic Awards 2017 and Wallpaper* Designers of The Year 2014. They won AR Awards for Emerging Architecture 2010 by Architectural Review (UK) and were one of the Design Vanguards in 2009 by Architectural Record (US).

"TheJourney of Water" is a first for the designers to work in collaboration with GiulioCappellini and S.Pellegrino.

Neri&Hu provide their unique interpretation of the famous S.Pellegrino mineral water label, in which they explore the theme of Clouds: one of the essential stages in the formation of water. The result is an imprint of their personal cultural heritage, in a modern rendition.

The design team, who seek to spark the potential in 'Chinese design’ and to evoke change, effectively convey this by their merging of traditional Chinese expressions of art with the story of the iconic Italian S.Pellegrino brand in their work on the historic label. Here, it is transformed into an imagery composed entirely of dots – the basic molecules of water. A closer inspection reveals these ‘molecules’ that manifest into the different phases of its transformation in the air: from moisture droplets, to the clouds, and subsequently into rain.

Chinese by heritage but international in outlook, Neri&Hu have collaborated with numerous brands since the formation of their practice. Some of these include Agape, Arflex, Artemide, Classicon, Concrete LCDA, Fritz Hansen, Gandia Blasco, JIA, LEMA and MOOOI.

Apart from being architectural professionals, both founders are also strong believers in teaching and research, that has seen them actively involved in many events and programs around the world in the field of design. They established Design Republic, a modern design platform incorporating retail concept, design, cultural exhibitions and educational events.